What was originally meant to be a quiet retirement job as a security guard has turned into something far greater for Pete Ruf.
Formerly the sports anchor for News12, Ruf has found a new role at Hendrick Hudson High School: mentoring students in the world of broadcasting. In doing so, he continues to serve the local athletic community while passing on valuable lessons to the next generation of sports media.
Ruf’s journey began like many others. Growing up watching sports every weekend, he dreamed of becoming a videographer. However, while studying broadcast journalism at Syracuse University, his passion shifted. As Ruf put it, his ambitions moved “from being behind the camera to in front of it.” Studying at Syracuse was a blessing for Ruf, as he learned the fundamentals of the profession, and gained valuable experience in the Newhouse School’s top notch television studios.
After graduating, Ruf took a job as a videographer at News12, primarily to get his foot in the door. While working behind the scenes, he continued to hone his writing and reporting skills. Eventually, he landed his first full-time on-air role with BronxNet, a public access station that covers local Bronx news. After gaining experience there, Ruf was ready to take the next step: a return to News 12 in 2001 — this time as a sports anchor.
Ruf would go on to call News12 home for the rest of his professional career. He credits the variety of the job as one of the main reasons he stayed.
“I could be at a Yankees playoff game one day, then covering a high school soccer match the next day,” Ruf said. “There was great variety.”
That variety defined many of the highlights of his career. For Ruf, few moments compare to his coverage of the 2009 World Series, as he was in Yankee Stadium as the Yankees celebrated their latest championship.
“Being on the infield when they celebrated was an amazing moment,” Ruf recalled. “Going into the locker room after that was also exciting. Getting to show viewers the atmosphere and player reaction was what made me love my job.”
But Ruf lived for more than just the biggest moments in professional sports. He also cherishes moments at the local level. The 2004 New York State Basketball Championships stand out in particular, when four of the five section titles were won by Westchester teams. Seeing the emotion from the young players and their coaches was unforgettable for Ruf, and is something that sticks with him to this day.
After almost 25 years with News12, Ruf was ready to step down from his role as the sports anchor, and retire to a quiet life with his wife. However, Ruf decided to stick around in Westchester for a few final years, taking up a job at Hendrick Hudson High School as a security guard in September of 2023.
Even then, his passion for broadcasting never faded. In 2024, Ruf began commentating for Hen Hud football games on LocalLive, a high school sports streaming service. What started as a one-man passion project soon evolved into something bigger. During this time, Ruf would frequently get into conversation with students during their lunch periods about football, basketball, and everything else sports related. Ruf identified three students whom he said “stood out”: John Jackson, Alex Romero, and this reporter.
With basketball season on the horizon, Ruf invited them to join him and commentate at games. That collaboration marked the beginning of the Sailors Sports Network (SSN).
The trio of new broadcasters would go on to commentate on every basketball game that season, quickly building both experience and enthusiasm. With Ruf’s mentorship and strong community support, the Sailors Sports Network continued to grow. By the start of the 2025-26 school year, it had become an official school organization.
Parents, athletes and coaches embraced the initiative. Having the cameras rolling and students commentating on live games was a new experience for Hen Hud, and it came with much support. As more students joined, the network expanded its reach, with continued football coverage and new voices eager to learn from Ruf.
Ruf says he loves every second of his new role as a mentor. “It was very exciting to see [the students] thriving and the community having such positive feedback.”
The SSN soon branched out further, launching a podcast that featured segments on football, girls basketball, and other sports. For students like Aiden Mazzola, Ryan Philbin, and Billy Magliano, it was a fun new experience for them to put out content into the world, while also getting to interview their peers and coaches.
When asked about his experience, Philbin stated, “It was nerveracking, but fun. It was nice to sit down and talk with my friends about our athletics, and seeing it put onto Youtube for the world to see was the cherry on top.”
Today, the SSN continues to grow, producing podcasts, interviews, and live game broadcasts on SportsEngine. Ruf hopes to continue the growth of the club across all grade levels, even after the founders eventually graduate.
For Ruf, seeing his passion passed down to the next generation is more than he could have hoped for. The students who make up the SSN may be the engine, but Pete Ruf is the fuel that set it in motion.
